Runaway Rabbit
by Lusito
Summary: When Avaric comes to rescue Fiyero from Shiz during Fiyero's Winter Break, he hangs around for some time, and Boq has an unnerving chat with him. Fiyero tries to explain Avaric's attitude by telling Boq what happened one Lurlinemas in young Avaric's life.


_**Disclaimer:** The rights to everything Wicked are on top of my Christmas list, though I doubt I'll get _those...

_**A/N:**__ I think that this fic could even be considered a crack!fic, but I just _had_ to write it. I just basically translated and wrote stuff around the lyrics of the song "Flappie" by Youp van 't Hek. The song is originally Dutch, and since they have two days of Christmas, there are two days of Lurlinemas. I'd also like to thank _Faba_ for giving me the name Snowball. And, for clarification, in this fic, Fiyero's parents had enough of paying loads of money for private suits in all of Fiyero's school, so he was forced to share a room with Boq._

**Happy Lurlinemas and any other winter holiday you celebrate!**

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"So, what's up with him?" Boq asked, pointing to the still form on the couch that was Avaric.

Fiyero laughed. "He's a friend of mine that I told to come and rescue me from here if he hadn't heard from me by Winter Break. And so, he's here."

Boq raised an eyebrow in question.

"Well… You know how I never lasted very long in a school, so I expected nothing to be different here, but, for some strange and very weird reason I do not know, I'm still here," Fiyero said with a shrug. "And Avaric being a man of his word, showed up."

"So, are you saying that you're leaving after all?"

"Oh, cheer up, Boq, I'm staying for now, as is Avaric. He'll crash here for the remainder of the Winter Break. Don't worry; I'm sure you two will get along."

"But… I talked to him, and, well… I'm not sure we'll get along…" Boq mumbled, unsure if he should've said that.

"Why not? Avaric is a swankified dude, you know. But he always has a hard time around Lurlinemas, so you shouldn't judge him yet."

"Does it have anything to do with his father? 'Cause we came to talk about family, and when I asked him about his father, he totally shut down and went over to the couch where he still is."

Fiyero contemplated whether to tell Boq or not. He quickly decided on telling him, as Avaric and Boq both were good friends of him and he wanted them to get along. He motioned Boq to the door, afraid that Avaric might wake up at some point do… _something_.

Boq followed Fiyero out of their shared room and was led to a bench near the border of the campus. Fiyero made sure that no one was around to eavesdrop on the conversation, for he knew for certain that Avaric would kill him if the story was the latest gossip of the school.

"So…" Bow said expectantly, one they both sat on the bench.

"Well, many years ago, when Avaric was still tiny and innocent – I know, unbelievable, but hey, we all start off as little carefree boys – he had a pet rabbit."

The comment Boq was going to make about carefree boys was quickly forgotten. "Wait, what!? He had a _rabbit_?" Boq had a hard time not to burst out laughing. The Avaric _he_ knew did not look like a rabbit guy, he actually didn't seem like an animal guy at all, period.

"I know," Fiyero said with a grin, "he doesn't seem the type, does he? But back then, he had a rabbit; it was white and had the name Snowball."

That was just too much for Boq and he bowed over laughing. Fiyero grabbed his shirt just in time to prevent him from falling off the bench.

"Are you done now!? I assure you that you won't be laughing at the end."

Boq sat back up and composed himself. "Sorry, please continue."

"So, as I was saying, Avaric had a pet rabbit. Now, on one Lurlinemas morning, he went to check on Snowball, only to find the fenced field Snowball lived in was empty. Devastated, he went to his mother, who told him not to go in to their shed, and that he would get some sweets if he went off and played like a good little boy."

"Why wasn't he allowed to go into their shed?" Boq asked sceptically.

Fiyero sighed. "Just let me tell the story, I'll get to that!"

"Okay, chill."

"Now, where was I…? Oh, yeah, I remember! So, he asked his mother if she had seen Snowball, but she hadn't. She told him she would ask his father later, as he was busy in the shed, and–"

"The one he wasn't allowed in!?"

"BOQ! Don't go playing detective here, let me tell the story!"

"Sorry…"

"Thanks. Now, she just told him to go look for him around the field, as he surely was around there somewhere. So, he wandered around searching for Snowball. He had no idea why he had escaped, as Avaric was sure that he had locked the fence as he did every night. He had even gone back last night and stood in front of the field for some time, just staring at Snowball. He told me later that it was as if he knew back then what would happen…"

"What happened?"

"I'm getting to that! Just be patient! Jeez…" Fiyero snapped annoyed.

"SO-RRY!"

"Well, then just shut up and let me tell the freaking story!"

"O-" Boq stopped mid word, realising what he was doing.

"That's what I thought… So, back to the story. Later, his dad helped him looking, once he was done in the shed–"

"Wha–" Boq was instantly silenced by a glare from Fiyero.

"As I was saying, his father helped him looking. They looked by the water, the trees, everywhere, but no sign of Snowball. They didn't look in the shed, as he couldn't possibly be there, his father said, and Avaric agreed.

"Then later, during dinner, when the whole family was happily chatting and eating, Avaric wasn't hungry. He couldn't get his mind of off poor Snowball. It was very cold outside, and Avaric was worried that Snowball would freeze to death, all alone and loveless out there, somewhere.

"So, by now they had finished the soup and it was time for the main course. Avaric's father came in with this big grin slapped on his face, saying, with big amusement, 'Look, Avaric, here's Snowball!' And indeed, there was Snowball, on a silver platter, cooked and carved in three pieces."

"No way!" Boq exclaimed astonished.

"Yes way! So, that was basically the first time that Avaric saw his dad as a horrible man, he had always admired his dad up until then, seeing him as a great role model. He ran up the stairs with as much noise as he could make and cried on his bed for an hour. Later, he walked back to the top of the stairs and screamed 'Snowball was _mine_!' down the stairs, where the family was still enjoying their dessert. He went back to his room and stared out of his window to the fenced field that was once Snowball's and now totally empty."

"Wow, that's heavy stuff…" Boq said, taking everything in. "But, seriously, is he still mad about that!? Isn't that a bit childish?"

"Oh, I assure you, Avaric is everything _but_ childish."

That confused Boq. "Huh?"

"I never said I was done!"

"Oh… _oh_, go on."

"So, the next morning, on Second Lurlinemas Day, his mother woke up to an empty side of the bed, her husband was gone. She rushed down, trying to find him, but he was nowhere to be found. Avaric came in later, and she desperately asked him if he had seen his father. Avaric replied that she shouldn't go in to the shed and would get some sweets if she went off and played like a good little girl." Fiyero ended is story with a huge grin, arms wide, waiting for realisation to hit Boq.

"So what happen– NO!"

Fiyero nodded eagerly, "YES!"

"What _exactly_ happened to his dad, and what did his mum do about it?" Boq asked, his eyes glistening with curiosity.

"You know what, I'll leave that to that wonderful imagination you have," he told Boq, patting him on the shoulder.

"But, but… That's not fair! Oh, _come on_! You've been telling me this story, making me shut up and listen, and now you won't tell me the end!? And how would you know I have such a 'wonderful' imagination?"

"Dude, believe me, I wish I didn't know, all those things you mumble in your sleep," Fiyero visible shuddered at the thought. "Well, story is over, enjoy the rest of your day! Be considerate of poor Avaric, though don't tell him that I told you, we wouldn't want what happened all those years ago to repeat itself, now would we? Ta-ta!" And so Fiyero ran back towards his room, leaving a wide-eyed Boq on the bench.


End file.
